Hame-fastener.



UNITED STAES PATENT orrron REUBEN O. ELDRIDGE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO, CANADA, AND .IULIUS WILLERS, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO NIAGARA FALLS METAL STAMPING WORKS,

OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

HAME-FASTENER.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed May 18, 1906. Serial No1 317,508.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, REUBEN O. ELDRIDGE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Niagara Falls, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and JULI Us WILLERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Haine-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that kind of adjustable fasteners for harness hames which comprise a chain connected to the end of one hanie and a buckle or catch attached to the end of the other harne and which enables .the chain to be drawn taut and holds it when adjusted.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a very strong, durable and efficient haine fastener of neat appearance which can be manufactured economically and which will operate smoothly and easily in adjusting and fastening and loosening the haines.

More specific objects of the invention are to provide the chain catch or buckle with a pivoted tongue of novel shape formed from sheet metal, which has great strength for the size and amount of metal, to secure the tongue operating spring to the tongue in such manner that it will be inclosed, protected and hidden; to provide the chain catch or buckle with a cross bar over which the chain runs, which by reason of its peculiar shape in conjunction with the shape of the chain links insures a free and easy movement of the chain over the same in the use of the fastener; and to so form, arrange and construct the parts of the haine fastener thatasuperior article can be manufactured at a reduced cost from sheet metal, by die and press operations.

1n the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the lower ends of a pair of haines connected by a fastener embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the buckle or catch. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the buckle or catch tongue detached. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the buckle or catch and a portion of the chain. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional elevation of the chain and cross bar of the buckle or catch. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the chain links detached. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the chain hook. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the chain hook before completion. Fig. 9 is a cross section ofthe chain hook in line 9 9, Fig. 8.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A A1 represent the lower portions of a pair of hames of ordinary construction provided with loops or eyes a al at their lower ends. A chain B is removably connected by a hook O at one end thereof to the loop a of one hame, and has an adjustable engagement with a ,Fig G) has at one end two superposed eyes eand at the buckle or catch D removably connected to the loop a1 55 'of the other haine for the purpose of adjusting the .haines on the collar.

The chain B is preferably of that kind composed of permanently connected folded or doubled sheet metal links, in which each link (see opposite end a loop e1 at right angles to the width of the link to receive the two eyes of the next link. The construction of the chain is not new, but attention is directed to the fact that the loop ends of the links are relatively narrow and thick, while the eye-ends are relatively flat and wide and taper toward the loop ends, t'. e. they are of substantially triangular form.

The hook C for removably connecting the chain to the hame loop a is made of sheet metal from a blank f of substantially the oval shape shown in Fig. 8, and this blank is made with a longitudinal rib or bulge f1 which extends around the bend of the completed hook and adds greatly to the strength and stiffness thereof. The hook C is joined to the chain by a loop or strap g which passes through the two eyes c of the end link of the chain and has both ends thereof rigidly secured to the hook by a rivet g1, see Figs. 1, 7 and 8. As the eyes of the chain link are not split or capable of being opened, the hook loop is engaged in the link eyes while its ends are disconnected and the hook blank f is then placed between and riveted to the two ends of the loop. The loop and hook are thus riveted together and the stiffening rib f1 formed in the hook blank in a single press operation with suitable dies, and in joining the parts in this way the ends of the loop are pressed into conformity with the end and ribbed portion of the hook blank, see Fig. 9, and a rigid 'and very strong connection is secured at small cost.

The catch or buckle D consists of a body h and a springactuated tongue pivoted thereto. The body of the catch is made of sheet metal formed by pressing, or otherwise, into substantially inverted U-shape in cross section, having spaced sides connected by a top or back. The top is extended at one end and bent to form a hook h1 for detachably engaging in the loop of one hame, the hook being preferably strengthened and stiffened by a convexed longitudinal rib h2 extending around the bend of the hook. The sides of the body at the opposite end of the catch extend beyond the top and are connected by a cross bar or part t' over which the chain passes between the projecting ends of the sides. The cross bar or part is of spool shape, see Figs. 2 and 5, having oppositely flaring or frusto-conical ends t1 joined by a reduced cylindrical central or waist portion, and preferably consists of a sleeve pressed or otherwise formed from a sheet metal blank and surrounding a rivet i2 which extends through holes in the sides of the catch body with its ends headed down to hold the parts together. The sleeve could be loose on the rivet so as to turn thereon as a roller, but it is preierably compressed about the rivet and clamped between the sides of the catch body so as to be rigidly held and to brace the sides. In pulling on the chain, to tighten or adjust the haines7 it runs very smoothly and freely over the cross bar on account of the described shape of the chain links and cross bar. The thick loop ends of the links slide on the reduced waist of the cross bar, while the diverging sides of the eye ends of the links gradually and smoothly ride up on the flaring ends of the cross bar and the chain will therefore run smoothly and without jerks over the cross bar. The bottom portions of the links are also curved longitudinally, as shown, which enables the chain to make a sharper turn around the cross bar. The pivoted tongue c of the catch is also made from sheet metal and is bent by press operationsI or in any other suitable way, into the shape shown, s'ee Figs. 2 4. It has hinge ears k1 at opposite sides of its central portion which are pivoted to the opposite sides of the catch body by a rivet k2. One end of the tongue extends into engagement with the cross bar of the catch, and this end is preferably curved longitudinally and its sides c3 are folded or bent inwardly, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A narrow but very stiff and strong beak is thus formed which will readily engage in and release the eyes of the chain links and withstand any strain to which it is subjected in use, rlhe other end la* of the tongue extends inside of and is adapted to bear against the extremity of the hook oi the catch to close the opening between the hook and the sides of the catch and prevent the accidental disengagement of the hook from the hame loop. This flat end h4 forms a thumb piece for operating the tongue.'

Z represents the tongue operating spring, which consists of a strip of fiat spring metal riveted at one end at Z1 to the central part of the tongue, .between the hinge ears thereof, and bearing at its free end against the hook-end of the catch body. The attached end of the spring is shaped to bear against the hinge ears and inbent sides of the tongue and these cooperate with the securing rivet to rigidly hold the spring in place and to protect it from injur'y. The free portion of the sp1-ing is located between and protected from injury by the sides oi the catch body. The tongue spring is therefore almost completely hidden and is thoroughly protected from injury, and as it extends from the central part of the tongue to the base of the catch hook, the hook can be readily engaged with the hame loop by pressing the thumb piece of the tongue inwardly, with the hame loop. The loop enters directly into the hook and does not have to be worked over the end of the spring to enter the hook as it would it the springt was secured to the end of the hook and bore againstthe thumb-piece of the tongue.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a fastener, the combination of a chain, and a catch for said chain comprising a body, a tongue for engag-ing the chain links provided with bent-over side portions pivoted to said body,-and a tongue-operating spring consisting of a spring strip secured to said tongue between and bearing against said bent-over side portions and resting at its free end against said body, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fastener, the combination of a catch body having spaced sides connected by a back, a tongue provided with bent-over side portions pivoted to the sides of said body, and a tongueoperating spring consisting of a spring strip secured to said tongue between said bent-over side portions and bearing at its free end against the back of said body, said side portions of the tongue and sides of the body serving to confine and nclose said spring, substantially as set forth. l

3. In a fastener, the combination of a chain, and a catch for said chain comprising a body, a tongue provided with side portions bent over to form hinge ears and a folded beak for engaging the chain links, and a tongue-operating spring consisting of a spring strip riveted at one end to the tongue between said bent-over side portions and bearing at its free end against said catch body, substantially as set forth.

4. In a hame fastener', the combination of a chain coinposed of links having relatively narrow deep loop ends and wide diver-ging eye-ends, a catch comprising a body provided with a cross bar over which said chain runs and which has flaring ends connected by a reduced waist portion, and a tongue for engaging the chain links, substantially as set forth.

5. In a haine fastener, the combination of a chain composed of links having relatively narrow deep loop ends and wide diverging eye-ends, a catch comprising a body provided with a cross bar over which said chain runs and which consists of a rivet and a surrounding sleeve having haring ends connected by a reduced waist portion, and a tongue for engaging the chain links, substantially as set forth.

Witness our hands, this 17th day of May, 1906.

REUBEN C. ELDRIDGE.

JULIUS WILLERS. Witnesses:

JAMES F. MURPHY, Man F. MCCARNEY. 

